Why was salvation by Langston hughes written?

Salvation by Langston Hughes was published in 1940 and tells the story of Hugh's joining the church as a young teenager. In preparing him for what was to come, his aunt told him he might see some sort of spiritual phenomena once he is "saved" . The story is told from a second person narrative in describing the feelings and actions of the author's thirteen year old self. He was deeply effected by the experience.